In the prior art, there are numerous aerobic exercise machines which are designed to support the full weight of the user while in operation. These include treadmills, bicycling devices, stepping machines, skiing simulators and the like. Devices utilizing the latter concept are similar to "air walker" type products except for the use of limited side to side motion instead of a front-to-back walking or striding type motion.
One type of skiing simulator, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,396,189, shows an exercising and skiing simulating machine which is capable of pivotal swinging or swaying motions. That machine has a horizontal rotating platform (28, FIGS. 2 and 3) and two boot support surfaces (50, 51, FIG. 3). The boot support surfaces are rotatably suspended from the platform by horizontal axes (55, FIG. 18) and vertical axes (52, FIG. 2). The boot support surfaces are also offset vertically downward relative to the horizontal axes by a distance equal to the vertical distance from the boot sole to the ankle joint of a person. Although this design is workable, an improved aerobic exercise machine with enhanced lateral movement capability is desirable.